WICKED: FOR GOOD Soars to Record Presales | Maya Cinemas' Greg Heckmann [Presented by Irwin Seating]
This week on the Boxoffice podcast, presented by Irwin Seating, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk recap the opening weekend of Lionsgate’s Now You See Me, Now You Don’t and forecast the November 21st release of Universal’s Wicked: For Good. In the feature segment, Rebecca speaks with Greg Heckmann, the director of marketing for Maya Cinemas, about key initiatives including the chain’s Young Cinema Professionals workshop.Give us your feedback on our podcast by accessing this survey: https://forms.gle/CcuvaXCEpgPLQ6d18 What to Listen For00:00 Intro 01:00 What the Maya Interview Covers02:00 Weekend Box Office: Frankenstein, Running Man, NYSM 303:24 Oscar Isaac’s Ska Band & Frankenstein Reactions06:59 Running Man Review & Performance07:49 Now You See Me 3: Strong Opening & Franchise Strength09:35 Wicked For Good Tracking: Baseline 135M10:40 UK & US Presales Break Records11:58 High-End Forecast: 180M–210M Possibility14:05 Expected Range: 145M–175M Opening Weekend15:10 Why Many Viewers Will Wait for PLF on Thanksgiving16:57 Behind the Scenes: New Songs & Expanded Story17:35 Wicked as a Cultural Holiday Event19:55 Economic Strain & Moviegoing as the Affordable Alternative21:58 Why Theaters Still Offer the Best Value for Families22:40 2025 Thanksgiving Outlook: Narnia’s IMAX Exclusivity24:00 Should Wicked Become a Holiday Double-Feature Tradition?25:25 Harkins Re-Release Success Story26:00 Transition to Feature Interview27:00 Interview: Maya’s New Young Cinema Professionals Program29:15 Maya’s Community & Holiday Food Bank Initiatives31:00 Why Investing in Young Workers Matters33:20 How Pandemic & Strikes Affected Youth Entry into Exhibition35:10 Anime & Event Titles Bringing Younger Audiences Back36:00 Sending Young Cinema Workers to the CinemaCon Fall Summit38:40 First Impressions from the Selected Participants41:10 Plans to Expand the Program Next Year
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A Predator Franchise Record | The Running Man’s Glenn Powell, Edgar Wright, Colman Domingo, and Josh Brolin [Presented by Irwin Seating]
This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk recap the latest news in theatrical exhibition, including promotions at both Cinergy and AMC Entertainment, as well as the opening of Film Alley Breckenridge. For the feature segment, our friends at Cinema United bring us The Running Man panel from CinemaCon 2025, with stars Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, and director Edgar Wright in a conversation moderated by Jacqueline Coley.Give us your feedback on our podcast by accessing this survey: https://forms.gle/CcuvaXCEpgPLQ6d18
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Holiday Box Office Preview 2025
This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss the latest news in distribution and exhibition, including the announcement that Belgium-based Kinepolis has signed an agreement to acquire the operations of U.S. cinema chain Emagine Entertainment. In the feature segment, Daniel is joined by Flix Brewhouse’s Chris Randleman to preview the 2025 Holiday box office.What to Listen For00:00 Intro 01:02 Halloween Stories & Why Classic Horror Still Hits03:15 When Prestige Directors Go Nuclear – Bigelow’s Bold New Film05:46 The Box Office Slump No One Saw Coming08:03 Power Moves & Shake-Ups Across Hollywood11:00 Who Will Buy Warner Bros? The Industry’s Biggest Question14:03 Chris Randleman: Inside the Theatrical Trenches15:12 What Went Wrong This Fall at the Movies?16:43 Can November Turn Things Around?18:53 Hidden Gems & Underdogs of Awards Season21:03 Why Wicked Could Save the Holiday Box Office25:46 How Gen Z Is Quietly Reviving Moviegoing28:16 The Return of the Family Blockbuster30:07 Streamers Want Theaters Again — But Do They Get It?36:08 How Horror and Spectacle Keep December Alive41:12 Betting on Variety: The Secret to a Strong Holiday Slate45:09 Can Feel-Good Stories Win Christmas 2025?50:35 The Box Office Comeback We’ve Been Waiting For55:16 2026–2027: The Rebirth of Theatrical Movies
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Innovative Programming Strategies with Joe Garel
This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss the ongoing challenges at the October box office and how Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc surpassed expectations. Then in the feature segment, Daniel speaks to Joe Garel of Western Film Services on exhibition strategies for navigating the current downturn at the box office.Give us your feedback on our podcast by accessing this survey: https://forms.gle/CcuvaXCEpgPLQ6d18 What to Listen For00:00 Intro 01:05 October Box Office Struggles Begin03:14 Chainsaw Man’s Surprise Success06:00 Roof Man and Theatrical Highlights07:03 Weak Openings for New Releases09:00 The Worst October Since 199812:03 Delayed Releases and Scheduling Issues13:25 Relying on Re-releases to Fill the Gap15:56 Meet Joe Garel of Western Film Services17:05 Finding Underserved Audiences (Filipino Film Success)20:00 Flexible Booking and Alternative Programming21:10 Pricing Strategy and Audience Behavior23:25 Smarter, Audience-Driven Programming24:55 Why the Market Is Struggling26:45 The New Formula: Dynamic Booking & Showmanship28:40 Reviving Showmanship in Cinemas29:50 Sports as the Next Big Opportunity (FIFA Test)33:00 Event Cinema and Concert Success34:20 Reaching Younger Audiences Raised on Screens36:15 Targeted Marketing and Community Connection39:00 Partnering with Influencers & New Content (Paris Hilton Doc)41:00 The Power of Local Outreach & Email Lists43:00 Bringing Back Nostalgia and Themed Screenings44:45 Pricing Barriers and Attendance Decline
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The October Box Office Slump
This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss the ongoing October box office slump, with consecutive sub-$100 million weekends, and cover the latest news in theatrical exhibition, including the social media announcement that AMC is discussing plans to screen Netflix titles, starting with the re-release of KPop Demon Hunters. Give us your feedback on our podcast by accessing this survey: https://forms.gle/CcuvaXCEpgPLQ6d18 What to Listen For00:00 Intro 00:26 Catching Up on Awards Season Films04:00 “The Black Phone 2” Review & Discussion05:36 Netflix’s “Frankenstein” Theatrical Run07:05 AMC–Netflix Partnership Announcement11:00 Cinema Industry Leadership Updates12:38 Landmark Cinemas Renovation13:48 Cineplex Streamlining & CEO Transition14:47 Vista Group Launches “React”16:00 Barco Expands HDR by Barco17:09 The October Box Office Slump18:02 New Releases & Weekend Forecast20:15 Angel Studios Swaps “Zero AD” for “David”
The Boxoffice Podcast is your weekly resource for the latest results, trends, news, and topics in the cinema industry. Each week we feature insights and analysis from leading experts in theatrical exhibition, along with interviews with the most influential executives in the movie theater business.
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